The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed a motion before the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the dismissal of the six-count charge brought against her by the Federal Government.
Akpoti-Uduaghan described the charges as a clear abuse of prosecutorial powers, a violation of due process, and a politically motivated attempt to shield Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello from public scrutiny.
In the motion filed through her legal team, the senator urged the court to quash the charges, insisting they were not instituted in the public interest but rather to protect the private and political interests of the two prominent politicians.
Her counsel argued that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) acted outside the constitutional boundaries of Section 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that prosecutorial powers must be exercised only in the interest of justice, the public, and to prevent abuse of legal process.
“The prosecution against the applicant serves no public purpose and constitutes a gross abuse of legal authority,” the motion stated.
In an affidavit supporting her case, Akpoti-Uduaghan contended that the six-count charge, filed on May 22, 2025, was initiated in bad faith. She noted that the alleged defamatory statements forming the basis of the charge were directed at Akpabio and Bello in their personal capacities, not as public officials.
To reinforce her argument, the senator attached several newspaper publications which, she said, were “public records revealing the true character of the Senate President.”
She further maintained that the petitions and circumstances leading to her prosecution arose from political rivalry and personal vendetta, offering “no benefit to the Nigerian public.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded that the case represents a misuse of public resources to settle personal scores and silence legitimate criticism of public office holders.
© 2025, Standard Focus. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from STANDARD FOCUS.